Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program

To assist in the recruitment and retention of professional registered nurses (RN) in: 1) approved critical shortage areas to increase access to quality health care by offering loan repayment in return for full-time service at an eligible health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses; and 2) accredited, eligible schools of nursing for RNs dedicated to serving as full-time faculty members.

Fiscal Year 2014: 667 new awards were made; 81 percent of all awards made were to registered nurses working in critical shortage facilities identified as serving the most underserved populations. Fiscal Year 2015: No Current Data Available. Fiscal Year 2016: No Current Data Available.

Authorization

Public Health Service Act (42 United States Code 297(n)(a)), Section 846(a), as amended by, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Public Law 111-148 Sec. 5310(a).

Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?

Applicant Eligibility

Individuals who satisfy the following criteria are eligible to apply: (1) have received a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, an associate degree, a diploma, or a doctoral degree in nursing; (2) have outstanding qualifying educational loans leading to a degree or diploma in nursing; (3) a U.S. citizen (either U.S. born or naturalized), U.S., National or a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States; (4) employed full-time (32 hours or more per week) at a critical shortage facility (CSF) or employed as a full-time nurse faculty member at an accredited, public or private nonprofit school of nursing; (5) have completed the nursing education program for which the loan balance applies; (6) have a current, full, permanent, unencumbered, unrestricted license in the State in which they intend to practice or be authorized to practice in the State under the Nurse Licensure Compact; and (7) submit a complete application, including a signed contract to work full-time as a registered or advanced practice nurse for 2 years at an eligible health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses or an accredited, eligible school of nursing. Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Government and Native American Organizations may apply if they are otherwise eligible.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Beneficiaries include registered nurses who have received a diploma, an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree or a graduate degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicants should review the individual HRSA Applicants should review the individual HRSA Application and Program Guidance issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles.

What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?

Pre-Application Procedure

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Approval/Disapproval Decision Time

Approximately 5 months.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Renewals for the third year of service will be considered based on the availability of funds.

How are proposals selected?

Funding preference is defined as the funding of a specific category of group of approved applicants ahead of other categories or groups of approved applicants. As provided in section 846(e) of the PHS Act, as amended, a funding preference is given to eligible applicants with the greatest financial need. Awards are made to the highest ranked applicants until funds are expended.

How may assistance be used?

The program offers RNs substantial economic assistance to repay their qualifying educational loans in exchange for full-time service at a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. NURSE Corps LRP participants enter into a contract agreeing to provide full-time service at an approved Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) for two years. In return, NURSE Corps LRP will pay 30 percent of the participant's total qualifying loan balance each year (total of 60 percent). A participant may be eligible to continue his/her two-year NURSE Corps LRP contract to serve for a third (optional) year at a CSF. If a participant works full-time for a third year in a CSF, the NURSE Corps LRP will pay an additional 25 percent of the participant's original total qualifying loan balance, bringing the total to 85 percent of eligible loan balances.

What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?

Reporting

The awardee will be required to submit performance and progress reports as well as status-federal financial reports (see the program announcement and notice of award for details for each required report). No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. No expenditure reports are required. No performance monitoring is required.

Auditing

Not Applicable.

Records

No Data Available.

Other Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Loan repayments for 1 year of obligated service will be made no later than the end of the Federal fiscal year in which the individual completes such year of service. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Payments are made to individuals via electronic direct deposit. Notifications are made by e-mail.